‘Death of a Salesman’ erupts with heartbreak and
urgency beginning March 28 at A Noise Within
PASADENA, Calif. (February 17, 2026) –– Arthur Miller’s Pulitzer Prize-winning masterwork Death of a Salesman comes to A Noise Within in a visceral new production directed by co-artistic director Julia Rodriguez-Elliott and starring co-artistic director Geoff Elliott as Willy Loman alongside Deborah Strang as his wife, Linda. The production runs March 28 through April 19 at the company’s home in Pasadena. Low-priced previews begin March 22.
A prime example of A Noise Within’s 2025-26 “Songs from the Volcano” theme, Death of a Salesman unfolds over a single, combustible 24-hour period in the life of an American family on the brink. Aging salesman Willy Loman has spent his life chasing the promise of success, believing that charisma and ambition would guarantee prosperity and respect. But as financial pressures mount and his career collapses into obsolescence, the widening gap between Willy’s dreams and reality threatens to consume him and everyone he loves.
Through fractured memory, raw confrontation and flickers of hope, Miller crafts a searing portrait of a man struggling to sustain his sense of worth in a society that equates value with achievement.
“A Noise Within has always had a commitment to the American classics, and Death of a Salesman is one of the greatest plays of the 20th century,” says Rodriguez-Elliott. “In the current moment, as the promise of the American Dream feels increasingly fragile, Miller’s play feels even more relevant than it did when he wrote it 77 years ago. People everywhere are losing their safety net. There’s an entire generation facing the reality that they may never be able to afford a home.”
For Elliott, the play’s themes of obsolescence and generational anxiety strike a particularly modern chord. “Willy’s job has become obsolete,” he notes. “By 1948, the traveling salesman, once a fixture of American life, was being replaced by department stores, phones and new systems of communication. Suddenly, he’s out. Today, people fear AI and technology making their jobs obsolete. The anxiety is the same.”
Rodriguez-Elliott also points to the central partnership at the heart of the play. “Geoff and Deborah have done so many plays together. There’s an incredible shared vocabulary between them, and that familiarity is critical for Willy and Linda. It’s a relationship that demands history.”
Taking on the roles of the Loman sons, Biff and Happy, are David Kepner and Ian Littleworth. The cast also features Jacob Cherry, Bert Emmett, Rachel K. Han, Kasey Mahaffy, Cassandra Marie Murphy, David Nevell, Dominique Razón and Michael Uribes.
With echoes of Greek tragedy, Miller’s groundbreaking drama, honored with both the 1949 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and Tony Award for Best Play, remains a harrowing indictment of the empty pursuit of wealth and success, and a warning for a fractured nation. Challenged and even banned in some communities over the years, the play endures as arguably the greatest American tragedy: the story of an everyman who only wanted, as Miller wrote, “to count.”
The creative team includes scenic designer Frederica Nascimento; costume designer Angela Balogh Calin; lighting designer Ken Booth; sound designer and composer Robert Oriol; wig and make up designer Tony Valdés; properties designer Stephen Taylor; fight choreographer Kenneth R. Merckx, Jr.; dialect coach Andrea Odinov; intimacy coordinator Sasha Smith; and dramaturg Miranda Johnson-Haddad. The production stage manager is Angela Sonner, assisted by Samantha Millette.
A Noise Within has been called “an oasis for those who love classic stories” by the Los Angeles Times and is a leading regional producer based in Pasadena, California. Under the leadership of Elliott and Rodriguez-Elliott, the award-winning resident company is committed to representing the entire community at its state-of-the-art, 324-seat performance space. In addition to producing world-class performances of classic theater, the organization runs robust education programs with the goal of inspiring diverse audiences of all ages. ANW believes in working hard on its anti-racist practice across the whole organization. By interpreting its mission to fully engage audiences through community- and artist-centered work in multiple creative disciplines, ANW is striving to be a theater that better serves the entire community.
Performances of Death of a Salesman take place March 28 through April 19 on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m., with matinees on Saturdays and Sundays at 2 p.m. (no matinee on Saturday, March 28). Four preview performances take place on Sunday, March 22 at 2 p.m., and on Wednesday, March 25; Thursday, March 26; and Friday, March 27 each at 7:30 p.m.
A one-hour INsiders Discussion Group will take place prior to the matinee on Sunday, March 29, beginning at 12:30 p.m. Post–performance conversations with the artists will take place every Friday (except the preview) and on Sunday, April 5. Student matinees are scheduled on select weekdays at 10:30 a.m.; interested educators should email [email protected].
Tickets to Death of a Salesman start at $41.75 (including fees). Student tickets start at $20. Tickets to the preview performances on Wednesday, March 26 and Thursday, March 27 will be Pay What You Choose starting at $10 (available online beginning at noon the Monday prior, and at the box office beginning at 2 p.m. on the day of the performance) Discounts are available for groups of 10 or more.
A Noise Within is located at 3352 E Foothill Blvd., Pasadena, CA 91107. For more information and to purchase tickets, call (626) 356–3100 or go to anoisewithin.org.
Details for Calendar Listings
‘Death of a Salesman’
WHAT:
Arthur Miller’s Pulitzer Prize-winning masterwork Death of a Salesman comes to A Noise Within in a visceral new production. Aging salesman Willy Loman has spent his life chasing the promise of success, believing that charisma and ambition would guarantee prosperity and respect. But as financial pressures mount and his career collapses into obsolescence, the widening gap between Willy’s dreams and reality threatens to consume him and everyone he loves. With echoes of Greek tragedy, Miller’s Pulitzer Prize-winning drama is a harrowing reminder of the fragility of the American Dream.
WHO:
• Written by Arthur Miller
• Directed by Julia Rodriguez–Elliott
• Starring Jacob Cherry, Geoff Elliott, Bert Emmett, Rachel K. Han, David Kepner, Ian Littleworth, Kasey Mahaffy, Cassandra Marie Murphy, David Nevell, Dominique Razón, Deborah Strang, Michael Uribes
• Presented by A Noise Within, Geoff Elliot and Julia Rodriguez-Elliott, producing artistic directors
WHEN:
March 22-April 19
Previews March 22 – March 27:
• Sunday at 2 p.m. / Wednesday, Thursday and Friday at 7:30 p.m.
Performances March 28 – April 19:
• Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 7: 30 p.m. / Saturdays and Sundays at 2 p.m. (no Saturday matinee on March 28)
ADDITIONAL DATES:
• A one-hour INsiders Discussion Group will take place prior to the matinee on Sunday, March 29 beginning at 12:30 p.m.
• Post-performance conversations with the artists every Friday (except the preview) and Sunday, April 5.
• Student matinees are scheduled on select weekdays at 10:30 a.m. Interested educators should email [email protected].
WHERE:
A Noise Within
3352 E Foothill Blvd.
Pasadena, CA 91107
TICKETS:
• Tickets start at $41.75 (including fees)
• Student tickets start at $20
• Wednesday, March 26 and Thursday, March 27 (previews): Pay What You Choose starting at $10 (available online beginning the Monday prior to that performance)
• Discounts available for groups of 10 or more
HOW:
anoisewithin.org
(626) 356-3100
# # #